2019 Hyundai Tucson vs Jeep Cherokee

What's the difference?

Updated July 31, 2019:

Since we first published this story on August 17, 2018, there have been a few notable changes in the segment, as well as to this particular model.

There’s an all-new Toyota RAV4, for example, and the Mazda CX-5 and Honda CR-V line-ups have both been tweaked a little, too. So the competition is stronger than ever.

The Tucson range was revised in reaction to these developments in July 2019, with the launch of the model year 2020 Tucson seeing more equipment, safety gear, spec revisions and features across the line-up. Stay tuned for our Hyundai Tucson 2020 review, coming soon. 

As originally published August 17, 2018:

The Hyundai Tucson was never going to be left looking out of place amidst the Korean company's more aggressively-styled SUV line-up - and so what you see here is the mid-life update of the popular mid-size SUV. 

Admittedly, the Hyundai Tucson 2019 model doesn't look exactly like the smaller Kona or larger seven-seat Santa Fe, both of which are more... evil looking. 

But there are some minor cosmetic changes for this updated Tucson model - and the underlying story here is that the amendments go beyond the metal.

The Tucson's tech has been upgraded, and so have the drivetrains - plus the model range has been tweaked. How does it all stack up? Let's get down to the nitty gritty.

The presence of a strong medium-sized SUV is of vital importance to any mainstream automotive brand at the moment. And if you do have one, to get bums on seats it needs to be absolutely on point across the spectrum.

Jeep is, according to its masters, in the midst of a renewal, with all new vehicles expected across its line by the end of 2020. The next cab off the rank is the Cherokee – codenamed KL – which launched in Australia in 2015 to a less than enthusiastic reception.

Up against sales powerhouses like the Mazda CX-5, Nissan X-Trail and Toyota RAV4, the Cherokee needs to be good looking, good value and offer good performance. How does the 2019 update stack up?